Mobile computing devices continue to evolve such that the mobile devices are capable of supporting new and powerful applications. In some instances a handheld mobile device may include sufficient processing power, network connectivity, and memory storage perform a given application, but the small form factor of a handheld mobile device may limit the usability of the application, for example, due to a small user interface and screen.
As such, in situations where the user may be stationary, relative to a remote device having a larger user interface (e.g., a computer terminal, an in-vehicle head unit, a table or pad device), the user may wish to use the user interface of the remote device, rather than the user interface of the handheld device. For example, considering a global positioning application, a user may wish to have a handheld mobile computing device connect with a device having a larger display in a vehicle for displaying maps and other location information on the remote device. Similarly, a mobile computing device operating as a media player may also connect with another device to provide the user with an interface to the mobile computing device via display located in the traditional location for a radio in a vehicle.
To interface with and support a remote user interface environment, the handheld device may provide video and audio information to permit the reproduction of the user interface of the handheld device on the remote device. The remote device should be capable of fully interfacing with the handheld device to receive user input and provide output to the user, and the handheld device should support the remote device's ability to do so.